Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-01-27
PRlS0H PRIVATI0ES
FACTS THAT 0UTD0 FICTION.
GETTING NORTH THRoUGH HOSTILE
COUNTRY.-A THRILLING WAR STORY.

PHILADELPHIA Times.
/ had escaped from Libby Prison
and had walked a few miles from
Richmond. A half. famished, worn
out, lame and discouraged man, alone
drenched by the rain which had fallen
for an hour, chilled TO the marrow,
viii. - Laa-a-. So = Speak tor
advise with. I think fsr : ti.ae Z lost
heart. With despair l thought of
the patient watcher in my Northern
home and reason seemed to tell me l
had failed and there was nothing else
to do but to return and give myself
up. | trust no reader of mine may
ever feel, as ! did, the bitterness of
death drowning out hope and courage
as l tramped back into Richmond.
Once there sat down again by the
roadside and tried calmly to reason
and think. Possibly fatigue over
came me, and l lost myself in sleep
for a few moments. / know not, but
suddenly / seemed to see my betroth-
ed and to feel her hand upon my
shoulder while her voice whispered,
Courage Courage You can do it
vet" Whether it were dream or Wis
ion, God knows, but it reused in me
a strength which never again failed,
and from that moment nothing ever
daunted HE or shook my confidence
in ultimate success. 1t must have
been close upon midnight when
found myself at point less than a
block of Libby, where stood the quar-
tiers of negro pair whom ! knew to
be friendly to Union prisoners. Lis
tening recognized their voices, and
announcing my presence by knock
| pushed open the door and entered
without waiting for reply. They
were sitting at the open fireplace and
seemed much startled by the Interrupt
ton. told them rapidly that was
a Yankee officer Just escaped and
wanted to see Mrs. Green. This was
a woman known to all prisoners as our
steadfast friend, but she had never
seen or heard of me. besought these
black friends with all earuestness to find
and bring her TO me. Naturally they
hesitated, for 10 be upon the streets
without pass after nightlall meant
in those days the lash and the Gala
bose. | was dressed in gray and
they suspected spy set to detect
them in something which could be
punished as treason. scarcely know
how prevailed against their fears
and suspicious, but surely their INFORM
loyalty must have plead for me, for
somehow they procured for me the
necessary interview before The night
was over. She too was staggered at
my story, but becoming convinced of
its genuineness, resolved to place me
in a refuge ill something better could
be done. At this late day I may
give names that once might never be
There was in Richmond at that
time man named John c. Quarles
whose house was a rendezvous for
Union men and women. Thither Mrs.
Green took me, aud there remained
hidden during nine days which elaps-
ed before transportation could be
for me, for it was vain to
attempt TO Journey on foot, as had
thought to do. Ny lameness and the
debility brought on by eight months
of captivity in place like Libby,
alike forbade it. Starvation, stagna-
ton and the sordid miserles, insepara-
bic from such a confinement, had sap
ped my strength and weakened NV
blood till nature could make but a
weak fight against fatigue and expos
ure.
Few have known and probably few
er still remember. what Abigail Green
did and suffered for her country.
Masculine in form and feature, she
was loyal and true, womauly, to the
heart : unsullied core. BY her aid and
through her Influence opportunities
were afforded me of learning all there
was TO know or see aboat the Confed-
crate Capital. At different times l
in public as the orderly Of
an officer OF ordnance, again filling the
same humble Office for a naval officer.
| visited camps and stations, obsery-
iDg, noting aud coming carefully all
that could he OF use to the cause
served. la and about the city were
1900 available troops if one may
spply that term to material furnished
from the cgadls snd the srave-too
old CT too young Tor service in the